Reptile Park wants donations of spiders to ‘milk’ for antivenom

The Australian Reptile Park has called for ‘responsible adults’ to catch funnel-web spiders, so that they can be ‘milked’ for antivenom.

NSW and Queensland are home to various species of the funnel-web spider, which are highly venomous and potentially fatal if bites are left untreated.

The Park has released a video to help people locate and safely collect the spiders. In case you’re wondering, the spiders are commonly found in rotting wood, rockeries and *gulp* bundles of clothes/towels etc.

The Park relies on public ‘donations’ to ‘milk’ 300+ snakes and 500+ spiders, and is the only supplier to Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, which provides medical professionals with antivenom for snake and spider bites.